MikeSpace

So I have some updates ready to go here at the org, but suddenly I find myself overwhelmed with a new task that is going to – at least temporarily – sidetrack me from putting them in place. I recently got a new job working for some very nice people doing graphic design and PHP programming! I really like the job (and especially the people!), but the problem is that I really am not yet fully conversant with PHP. They are cool with that, and are giving me time to get up to speed – based upon my proven ability to learn new computer related skills – so of course it is up to me to devote all my energies to getting this stuff down! I’m doing at least 3 hours a night with a good book on the subject, and am moving right along, but of course all my plans for this site are being put on the back burner. But with a mind to put at least something new here for you to appreciate, here’s a really neat video I found featuring a favorite song of mine, and a favorite place – it is of course Lara’s theme from Doctor Zhivago by Maurice Jarre, and winter always makes me think of Russia.

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Well I realize that it’s been quite awhile since my last post, but we’ve been having some fairly severe computer troubles down here at the org. Sadly we must say goodbye to Soulfood, the long serving and reliable electronic computing machine that has faithfully served for this last six years. A word of advice to electronic computing machine owners out there — when running four or more hard drives is recommended that sufficient cooling be attended to. Them puppies get hot! It is however my pleasure to introduce to you all our new atomic thinking machine — Brainiac Fingers. This swanky silicon supercomputer consists of an Athalon 64 4000+, bolted to a Mach Speed motherboard, and outfitted with a Geforce 7300 GT video card. And just to prove that this really is the 21st century, all that you are reading here now is being transcribed by software, as I speak into a microphone. How’s that for Star Trek nonsense?! Holy mojo, Batman — this thing really smokes; while Soul Food had to endure an endless parade of software of every description, as I narrowed down my preferences, Brainiac Fingers will benefit from all that was learned previously and will only get the software that I actually use. I someday hope to make available a complete list of the best software that I have found, as many people have asked me about this. Before Igor returned with all the pieces necessary to construct Brainiac Fingers, I was forced to utilize Sluggo, an elderly thought box with a Pentium III thinking unit; this was not a pleasure. Sluggo could only think of one thing at a time, and that none too quickly. It was excruciating, and made me very appreciative of these newfangled speed mongering computifiers. Active minds crave the multitask. Too much is not enough. A stitch in time saves processor cycles. Wash behind your ears. Buy low, sell high. Here is a picture of me at my desk, with Brainiac Fingers and a technician in the background:

Well, just to put the icing on the s**t cake my life has been lately, my motherboard on my main desktop computer seems to have died. Of course thats the photography and music machine, and I use it for, really, everything. It will probably be some time before I manage to straighten this mess out. Boo.

I spent a few days without internet, and let me just say that it was a bit weird. Good thing I am half way through a giant book on Flash (animation/web stuff), so I wasn’t feeling especially communicative. I hate to rely on much, such as the internet, but I guess the future has arrived. I did realize, back in October during the storm when I spent two weeks without electricity, that none of it is at all important – but it is awfully damned useful!

The parents of human children among you may find this to be a lame analogy, but designing websites can sometimes be like parenting: you see their birth, you nurture them through their initial growth and development, you help them through their awkward early attempts at life in the wider world, and eventually you watch as they go off with some crazy jazz drummer, or a punk rocker with a tattooed neck! And then they only call when they are in trouble, or they want a free meal and somewhere to do laundry. Well, one of my 2-D kids recently left home and can be found here. The plucky little tyke now lives with an awesome horror rock band called The Rabies, and seems to be happy so far! You should visit, and mention that poppa is proud.